Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-15

Southern city were opened with a wide well
come 10 the, National Womans Christian
Temperance Union Convention. Three hun
ored and forty-one officers and delegates, rep
resenting thlrty-eight States and Territories,
met in counsel together over matters Of home
interest, each with independent thought but
united plan, is the finest illustration ever seen
OF Victor Hugo's proI hstic utterance, The
Nineteenth Century Is Wumans Century"
Here ministers, doctors lawyers, journalists,
teachers, experienced honle-keepeTs. philan-
thiopists and cultivated young ladies, each
bring their special giltsand graces, and in the
exchange OF thought each telrs to the indi-
yidual work a home something of the general
knowledge and inspiration. Not only Is the
North and South, the En c and West here rep
resented, but different natolalit es, knowing
no dividing line Pundita Ramabai the
high caste Hindu widow, pleads for her sisters
in India; Mrs. Turnstall, OF Indian Territory,
voices the cry O. her Cherokee mates, that
whisky may be bound, and the Indian wig
wan be free; and the colored unions OF Ten
nessee and Alabama, organized into State
Societies, have graduates Of the Fisk Univer-
sity to represent them.
Nor is the National Union more differenti.
ated from other organizations in the many
lines Of work-forty or more distinct depart
ments, embraced under the general heads of
evangelistic, educational, social, preventive
and legal each with a skilled leader at its
head, and duplicated in State and local Unions
than in its National President, Miss Fran
ces +. Willard, who holds most intimate
relation to all these departments, and has
heart knowledge of all the needs of humanity.
Watkins Hall had been secured for the
meeting of the Convention, hut when the
delegates were seated there was small room
for visitors. When the need for larger
space reached the authorities of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church-the largest in the
city, holding about 1,200-they hastened to
offer its use, which was gladly accepted, and
banners and bannerettes, flowers and women
were speedily transferred.
Miss Wizards annual address, the morning
OF the 10th, was remarkable for breadth OF
vision and depth of human sympathy. 1.-THE
bugle of your advance strikes the keynote OF
the Church universal, and the drum-beat of
your hearts, now throbbing round the world,
predicts the day when the nations shall form
one universal brotherhood. Your white rib
bon prophesies, the wEite flag of peace that
yet shall wave ut the mast head of every
ship, and from the dome of every capitol
upon the globe. For nothing less has God
set in motion the home hosts of all nations
with the prayer of faith, and the badge of
snow, and the song of victory singing"
Would that we could picture the Conven-
tion at this opening hour. Miss Williard's
power of riveting all eyes, and holding all
senses as she brought fact and declaration
and prophetic utterance in clear resounding
words; her compatriots gathered about her
the silver-haired Mother Thompson, leader of
the crusade in Hillsboro, Ohio, in 1873; Han
nah Whitall Smith, the Quaker evangelist;
Mother Wallace the Deborah of the franchise
movement, and Ramabai, in native costume,
and before them the tables crowded with re-
porters for the press of Nashville and other
cities, and the audience that crowded pew
and aisle and outer hall, so still that pin
fall might have been heard
Prominent among the features Of the Con-
vention were the Bible readings each morn
ing, by Hannah Whitall Smith. The key
note of them all is sounded in this one SEN
tence- Glove fulfills all other laws, but it
must be the kind which is spelled owe, not
s-e-l-f-s-h-n-e-s-s." The welcomes to the
given the evening of the 18th. in the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church. Gov. Taylor, on
behalf of the State. and Mrs Lide Meri-
wether, on behalf of W. G. T. o., cordially
bid them welcome, and Mrs. j. K. Barney as
cordially accepted.
That the broadest liberty is accorded men,
bers of the w. G. T. U. is proved by the fol-
lowing bylaw passed ON Tuesday morning;
mo State Union shall be bound by any
principle espoused or plan devised by the
National W. G. T. u, except that all State
auxiliaries must subscribe to the total alb
stinence pledge. and to the Constitution Of the
National"
Memorial services were held Thursday,
afternoon for Mrs. Shields, President, of
Colorado. and Mrs. Tobey, Secretary OF the
department of Scientific Temperance Instruc'
ton. Tender mention was made of Rhod-
erick Dhu Gambrell by Mrs. Smell, OF Mis-
sissippi, and of John B. Finch, by Miss VII.
lard.
Early in the year the National w. G. T. U.
had promised banner to States in each sec
tion of the country for the greatest per cent.
of increase in membership, and the presenta-
tion was delightful occasion. 1t transplred
the evening of the 17th Massachusetts,
Delaware Maryland, New Mexico, Minne-
sofa, Wisconsin, Tennessee and New YORK
were the favored States. This called out
sixteen impromtu speeches from women In
as many States, which won the approval Of
| the audience, and this commendation from
the American: Sat least in impromtu speak
ing, these women excel any set OF men that it
has been our fortune to hear on any like oc-
casion."
The morning Of the 18th was election day,
| and futtering white ballots again called Miss
| Willard to the leadership Of the white-rihbOn
army. OF 800 votes she received BIB The
other general officers were reelected.
The Temperance Temple was imaged IN
| large photograph, placed before the conven-
| tion, and Mrs Carse, of Chicago, the origin
ator Of the plan, presented the subject to the
members. A building Of massive proper
| tions, a square in length and breadth, twelve
| stories high, central in location In the central
city of the United States, to be erected at a
cost of $3.50, ,000 Great enthusiasm prevailed,
and gifts and stock were pledged from diff
ferent States to the amount of $4,000.
| Each evening several meetings were held
| in Masonic Temple and churches always with
crowded houses. Music Of the finest sort has
been provided. Mr.. and Mrs. Bent led the
hymns with white-ribboned golden cornets,
| and the Herbert Quartette from Monmouth,
| ILL.,, sang stirring prohibition songs
The resolutions of any body mark their
| progress from year to year. The National
takes no backward steps, The Internal Reve-
nue. was declared against; the Blair bill en-
dorsed "a protest uttered against personalities
in politics; for enforcement of Sunday laws
for equal suffrage; scientific temperance in
struction; endorsing the Prohibition party
and Society of Peace, which sent Mr.. VIM.
Jones, Of London, to present its kindly mes
sage.
Nearly all the churches on Sunday were oc
cupied morning, afternoon, and evening, BY
W. G. T. U. women, "a revelation to the
people Of Nashville" and one heartily en-
joyed. Rev. Anna Shaw, of Boston, preached
the convention sermon in the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church; Miss Willard and DR.
Bushnell, Of Chicago, talked OF social purity
in the McKendree Church in the afternoon
to an audience of women and girls, and al
night Mrs Governor Wallace, Of Indiana
spoke on the franchise for woman in the Ma
sonic Temple, while mass meeting was helt
for the Knights of Labor, addressed by Mis-
Willard, Mrs. Meriwether, Mrs Hunt, ant
others. A memorable meeting, where cul
tured womanhood met the sturdy sons Of toll
| .,,J fr..,sd t,,o ~ 1ftrdylod ro1nIvos l.